Downey warns beef producers face €175m losses unless prices rise

Beef farmers face losses of up to €175m this year if beef prices are not restored, said IFA president Eddie Downey at a protest outside the Department of Agriculture yesterday.

Mr Downey has challenged Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to take action on the critical issues for the beef sector. He urged the minister to reject the factory cuts and specification changes and to address labelling and live export issues curtailing competition and the movement of stock to our key markets, including Northern Ireland and the UK.

“The sector needs stability and confidence to be restored without any further delay,” said Mr Downey. “At the moment, winter finishers and particularly bull beef finishers are in the eye of the storm. Some bull beef finishers are at their wits end, unable to get cattle killed.